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No. 562,816. Patented June 30, 1896.

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UNITED STATES CHARLES FORTH, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR,

PATENT OEEicE.

.31 MESNE ASSIGN- MATRIX ASSEMBLING AND DISTRIBUTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,816, dated June 30, 1896. Application filed January 15, 1894. fierial No. 496,972. (No model.)

To ctZZ 1072,0132 it may concern.-

Be it kn own that I, CHARLES FORTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Matrix Assembling and Distribnting Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to machines for assembling and distributing matrices; and the machine shown in the drawings and hereinafter described, in which my invention is embodied, is a development of and an improvement upon the machine shown and described in my prior application for a patent, dated September 23, 1892, and serially numbered 416,681.

The improvements constituting the invention. relate to the keyboard mechanism; to the detent mechanism whereby the matrices are held on their magazine-rods and released therefrom one by one; to the mechanism for supporting the front ends of the assembling rails during both the assembling and removal of the matrices; to the stick in which the matrices are assembled and held when removed from the machine; to the mechanism for automatically removing a full stick and substituting an empty one; to the mechanism for automatically opening the stick and holding it open for the reception of the matrices as they are assembled; to the mechanism for introducing the matrices into the machine at the rear end thereof, and for automatically releasing them from the stick; to the means for supporting the pick-up rods; to the construction of the distributing-rail; to the con struction of the matrices whereby they are adapted to engage with and to he automatically distributed from said rail 3 to the mechanism for compelling the matrices to proceed singly to and down to the distributing-rail; to the construction and relative arrangement of the pick-up rods, distributing-rails, and magazine-rods; and to other parts of the machine, particularly to what Imay term the driving mechanism, all of which have for their ultimate object to make the operation of the machine m ore certain ,rapid, and practical.

111 the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine from the left side, in which are shown only four of the wires which connect the key mechanism with the detent mechanism. Fig. 2 is a top view, looking in the direction of the arrow by the side of Fig. i. In this figure are shown only one series of magazine-rods, only a part of the keys, only three detent mechanisms, and only two of the wires which connect the detent and key mechanisms. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the frame of the machine. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the front end of the machine, viewed from the right. Fig. 5 is a rear View, partly in section, of the right end of the rockshaft 7' and the vertical shaft s and their connecting mechanism. Fig. (3 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view of the front of the machine, the assembling-rails being left out. Fig. '7 is a top view in the direction of arrow on Fig. l of the front ends of the assemblingrails, the clamps for supporting them, and the mechanism for operating said clamps. Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the same parts. Fig. 9 is a front view of the same parts when viewed in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4. Fig. 10 is a side view of the rear end of the machine, showing a line of matrices about to be introduced into the machine for distribution. Fig. 11 is a sectional view on line 10 of Fig. 4, looking down on the inclined front of the bed-plate and the parts supported thereby. Fig. 12 is a similiar view of the same parts, showing the movable pieces in different relative positions. Fig. 13 is a side view of the keyboard mechanism, a part of one of the guide-supports, and two of the detent mechanisms for holding and releasing the matrices. Fig. 14 is a plan view of the same parts. Fig. 15 is a side view of one magazine-rod, a bunch of matrices suspended therefrom, and the detent mechanism in position for releasing one matrix. Fig. 16 is a transverse sectional view of one of the guide-supports and of the plate 1) of the next one toward the center and parts sustained thereby. Fig. 17 is a front view of the four lengths of matrices which hang on the left side of the machine. Fig. 18 is a front view of the four lengths of matrices which hang on the right side of the machine. Fig. 19 is a front view of the upper ends of the ten varieties of matrices which belong to any one system. Fig. 20 is a vertical sectional view .of the upper end of one matrix as it hangs on the distributin g-rail. Fig. 21 is a view of the rear side of the upper. end of one matrix. Fig. 22 is a side view of the spacer, for which special provision is madein the stick. Fig. 23 is a front edge view of the same. Fig. 24 is a section on line 24 of Fig. 22 when the two sides of that spacer are spread by the wedge. Fig. 25 is a similar view of the same parts when in their ordinary condition. Fig. 26 is a perspective view of one complete assembling and from the right side.

distributing system disconnected from the machine. Fig. 27 is a bottom view of thedistributing-Lrail. Fig. 28 is a side view thereof. Fig. 29 isan end view. Fig. 30 is aside view of a part of said rail and the upper ends of several magazine-rods, showing their relative positions. Fig. 31 is a view of the left side of the stick with a line of matrices in its embrace. Fig. 32 is aview oft-he rear end thereof. Fig. 33 is a bottom view of the said stick when open at one end. Fig. 34 is a view of the right side of said stick. Fig. 35 is a bottom view of the two parts of the stick and the operating-sprin g separated from each other. Fig. 36 is a top view of the stick when closed. Fig. 37 is a bottom viewthereof when closed. Fig. 38 is a transversesectional view through the middle of the stick. Fig. 39 is a top view of the stick open at the front end, as it is when the matrices are being released from its grasp. Fig. 40 is a top viewof the s'tickivhen open at itsrear end, as it is when the matrices are being assembled. rear slide, which receives the stick, viewed Fig. 42 is a plan view Fig. 43'is a Sectional view on line 43 Fig. 44 is a rear view of yoke conthereof. of Fig. 41.

necting the rearends of two of the guide-supports and of parts adjacent thereto, especially the/mechanism for delivering the matrices singly onto the distributing-rait Fig. 45 is a sectional View on line 45 of Fig. '44, showing one of the same mechanisms. Fig. 4G is aperspective view of the clutch-'operatin g m echanism. Fig. 47 is a side view of a part of said mechanism. Fig. 4S is a side view of a part of the gear a. Fig. 49 is a view of the left side of the cam-disk N. Fig. 50'is a rear view of said cam-disk. Fig. 51 is a view of the right side of said cam-disk. Fig. 52 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View of the right end of the main driving shaft. Fig. 53 is a sectional view on line 53 of Fig. 52. Fig. 54 is a'longitudinalvertical section through that part of the pick-up rod through which the pin h passes. c

The principal members of the frame by which tl'ie'operating parts of the machine are supported are showninFig. 3. They consist of a bed-plate A, having a downwardlyinclined front a, said inclination being sub- Fi'g. 41 is a side View of the stantially the same as that of the assemblingrail's. The bed is supported by legs a, which carry the bearings for several shafts. Two brackets a a extend upward from opposite sides of the bed A. These brackets support the keyboard M, and also a plate a, Fig. 9, which lies in a plane just below that of the keyboard. (This plate is not shown in Fig. 3.) Two standards a a Fig. 3, extend upward and rearward from the sides of the rear edge of the bed, said standards being bifurcated at their upper ends. A central standard a extends upward from the middle of the rear edge of saidbed, and it is likewise bifurcated at its upper end, one branch extending forward and one rearward. The chief function of these three standards last named is to support in their proper relative positions the guide-supports B. c

Each guide-support consists of a top plate I), Fig. 16, a sideplate I), which extends downward from the outer edge of said top plate, and a plurality ofbrackets N, which extend downward from the inner edge of said plate I). Each of these brackets extends from its point of connection with said plate 1) downward, then outward, and then upward, and a magazine-rod is secured on the top of each upturned end thereof. The construction of the guide-supports is clearly shown in Figs. 13, 14, and 1 6,- These'guide-supports are arranged at increasin g elevations above the bed from the center outward in both directions. They are substantially parallel with each other and incline downward from their rear toward their forward ends. There are as many of these guide-supports as there are assembling and distributing systems. In the drawings eight are shown, four being placed on eachside of the center standard a. The four guide-supports on I each side are connected at front and rear by yokes Z1 U, Fig. 3, respectively, and the guide-supports thus united are supported by being connected with the central standard a and the two side standards a? a". I

In the 'n1achine as shown there are eight distributing and assembling systems. Each complete system consists of a pick-up rod I'l, Figs. 2 and 26, a distributing-rail C, an assembling-rail J, ten magazine-rods I intermediate of the distributing and assembling rail, and mechanism for retaining the matrices onthe ma gazine-rod and for releasing them singly therefrom. The number of systems which each machine mustcontain depends upon the number of characters which it is desired to use and the number of magazinerods which form a part of each system. In the machine shown it is obvious that eighty characters, including spaces, are provided for. I Except for the grouping of the front and rear ends of all the systems in one vertical IOO IIO

are at diiferent elevations and that they are curved to bring their middle portions at different distances from the center of the machine, they are exactly alike, wherefore a description of one will answer for all.

The pick-up rod H at its rear end lies in a vertical longitudinal plane pass ing centrally through the machine, and it is supported by being attached to the top side of a finger 72-, projecting rearward from the bracket a Fig. 1. The pick-up rod is bent to one side or the other of the said plane and then curved so that its forward end lies j ust beneath the rear end of the distributing-rail (3, and the front part of the pick-up rod is secured to the top of the upturned end of a finger 1), Figs. 44 and 45, which projects outward from abracket Z1, which is secured to the yoke b".

The distributing-rail C is a thin strip of metal, which is secured to the under side of the plate Z), Fig. 16, of the guide-support B by means of a longitudinal. rib c, which extends centrally from the upper side of said distributing-rail.

The assembling-rail J is preferably made of thin steel very smooth on its upper surface. Its rear part is substantially parallel to the distributingrail of the same system, but it lies in a lower plane. It is secured to the top of little brackets j, Figs. 2 and 16, which are secured to the outer edge of the plate I) of that guide-support which is next nearest to the center. The brackets which support the two inner assembling-rails are connected directly with the central standard a. The assembling-rail is then bent toward the center of the machine, and a part of the front end, slightly longer than the length of the line of matrices to be assembled, lies in the vertical plane which passes longitudinally through the center of the machine.

The ten magazine-rods I are supported on the tops of the upturned ends of the brackets b Fig. 16. Their rear or receiving ends lie below the distributing-rail, from which point they extend obliquely downward and inward, (that is, toward the center of the machine,) and their front or delivery ends lie above the corresponding assembling-rail, and at such a distance therefrom that they do not interfere with the downward movement on said rail of matrices which are dropped thereon from any magazinerod behind them.

Each system, from the rear end of the pick up rod to the front end of the assemblingrail, has a continuous downward inclination, whereby the matrices will slide by gravity from one point to the other when permitted so to do.

The rear ends of all of the pick-up rods are grouped in one vertical plane, and lie in this plane for a distance slightly greater than the length of an assembled matrix-line, and, in the machine illustrated in the drawings, their upper edges are approximately half an inch apart, one above the other. The rods diverge from this plane alternately in opposite directions, and extend therefrom different distances'. For example, the upper rod extends to and codperates with the outer distributingrail on the left, the rod next below it extends to the outer distributing-rail on the right, and the third rod extends to the left and cooperates with the distributin g-rail next to the first named, and so on.

' At the front of the machine the front ends of all of the assembling-rails are grouped in one vertical plane one above another, occupying the same position relative to each other as do the corresponding pick-up rods at the rear.

The construction and relative arrangement of the distributing and assembling systems are generically like those shown and described in my prior application hereinbefore referred to; but there are certain specific diiferences in the construction of the component parts and in their relative arrangement, which will be pointed out herein.

The front ends of the assembling-rails are upheld in their proper relative positions, while the matrices are being assembled, by two grooved clamping-arms P P, Figs. 4C to 10, which are secured to the under side of the two pivoted levers p 13. These levers are pivoted to the under side of brackets a which. project forward from theplate a and operating-pins 19 19 secured to the rear ends of said levers project upward through suitable clearance-slots a in said plate, and engage with cam-slots r in the slide R.

Two other levers p p are pivoted to the un der side of said plate (2*, and, projecting downward from the front ends of said levers, are the grooved clamping-arms P P, which are adapted to grasp the assembling-rails behind an assembled matrix-line, and support said rails while the matrices are being removed. On the rear ends of said levers are two pins 19 piwhich project upward through cam-slots r in the slide R.

The slide R lies on plate a and is held and guided by the guides T The slots r and r are so formed that as the slide is moved forward, the levers p 1') are rocked so as to cause the rails to be grasped between the rear clamping-arms P P, and then the levers p p are rocked so as to cause the front clampingbars P P to separate and release said rails. hen the slide is moved backward, the motion of the said levers is reversed.

To operate the slide, I provide a roclcshaft 9 which is mounted in suitable bearings on the plate a Two arms r rigidly secured to the rock-shaft, have slots in their lower ends, through which slots the rod 0' passes, which rod is rigidly secured to the slide R. Therockshaft is operated by means of the handle 'r.

Detent mechanism operated by finger-keys is provided to act in coeperation with each magazine-rod to retain the matrices thereon and to release them singly. Two verticallymovable slides k Figs. 13 and 14, lying one against the other, are secured to the front edge of each bracket b by means of a little screw 75 which passes through vertical slots 7a in said slides. The upper ends of said slides are pivotally connected, on opposite sides of its axis of oscillation, to the rocker 7c, which is secured to the end of the rock-shaft K. The rock-shaft K is mounted on the top of the plate I), and a coil-sprin g H, surrounding and connected with said rock-shaf t, exerts its force to turn the shaft so as to hold the two slides 7t" k in the relative position shown at the right of Fig. 13-that is to say, with the lower end of the front slide below the lower end of the rear slide. WVhen the slides are in this position, the lower end of the front slide is directly in front of the upper end of the front matrix which hangs on the adjacent magazinerod, whereby said front matrix is prevented from sliding forward on the magazine-rod. Thus the front matrix and all the other matrices behind it on the same magazine-rod are retained on said rod. lVhen the rock-shaft K is rocked by means of the corresponding key and the connecting mechanism, the rear slide is moved down in front of the second matrix, and the front slide is raised so as to permit the front matrix to slide under it, as shown in Fig. 15.

By reason of the downward inclination of the magazine-rods, each matrix hangs a little lower than the one behind it, as shown in Fig. 15, so that the rear slide may descend in front of the second matrix, as described, without touching the front matrix.

The rock-shaft K is actuated in opposition to its spring 7,5 by the following mechanism, viz: A Vertically-movable key-rod m passes through a boss m, Fig. 13, on the keyboard M, and the key-rod is forced upward by a coil-spring m which is compressed bet-ween said boss and the key-piece m The lower end of the key-rod is pivoted to an angle-lever m, near the angle thereof. One arm m of said lever rests upon a shelf m, which is suitably supported beneath the keyboard. A second shelf m lies above the said end of this lever. The other arm m of the lever is connected by means of a rod or wire m" with an eye 71; on the rocker 7a. For convenience in construction the rocker 7a to which the slides are connected is made in the form of a disk, which is secured centrally to the end of said shaft K.

When the key m is pressed down, the front arm on of the angle-lever is moved toward a horizontal position, because as its pivot is moved down the end of said arm does not move down but slides forward,bearing against the shelf 'm. This causes the other arm m of said lever to approach a vertical position,

its end necessarily moving forward in so doing. This draws on the rod m and causes the rock-shaft 7a to be rocked, with the result, before described, of raising the front slide and lowering the rear slide k thereby releasing one matrix. lVhen the key is released, the springs 7.; and m restore the desupport said rail.

of the same parts when the key is depressed is shown by the dotted lines in said figure.

The distributing-rail 0, Figs. 16 and :26 to 29, consists of a thin flat strip of metal. A thin longitudinal fin 0 projects centrally from the upper side of said rail, and, being secured to the under side of plate Z), serves to At intervals notches c' are cut in the said rail in pairs from both sides, and these notches increase successively in depth from the rear end forward, whereby the notched parts of said rail are widest at the rear end and grow gradually narrower toward the front. The notches are placed at regular intervals, and the receiving ends of the several magazine-rods I lie below and just a little behind the corresponding notched part of the rail, whereby a matrix falling from the rail at one of the notched parts is caught by its assembling-hook on its own magazine-rod.

Below the distributing-rail is a stop-rail which may be made as an integral part of the distributing-rai1 but it is preferable to make it separately, and the two rails are soldered together. This rail is narrowest at its rear end and abruptlyincreases in width at points just in front of the notched parts of the distributing-rail, thereby forming, on both sides of the longitudinal central line, shoulders c, which are narrowest at the rear and increase in width successively from back to front. These shoulders and their relative size are the essential features of what I have called the stop-rail, the other features of the con struction shownbeing preferable for convenience in construction.

A longitudinal fin'c is secured centrally to the under side of the distributing-rail, and its function is to prevent the sidewise swaying of the matrices as they slide down the distributing-rail.

The matrices E, Sheet 10, which are employed in this machine consist of, first, a bod y c, in the edge of which-the character depression e is formed, and, second, a stem 6 which is offset a little to one side of the body for two reasons: first, so that the center of the as sembling-hook and the opening into the distributing-eye may be in line with the center of gravity of the matrix, whereby the latter will hang vertically, whether it is hanging by its distributing-eye or its assembling-hook; second, so that when the matrices are assembled in line there will be a space between the stems of those belonging on the right and. those on the left side of the machine, as shown in Fig. 32.

Each matrix has near its upper end an inverted assembling-hooke, which maybe entered from that side of the matrix which is opposite to that toward which the stem is 0% set. A part of the matrices belong on one side and a part on the other side of the machine, and the assembling-hooks are entered from the right side of the matrices which belong on the left side of the machine, and from the left side of the matrices which belong on the right side of the machine. These assembling-hooks are below the distributing-eyes in such relation thereto that as the matrices suspended by said hooks slide down one of the pick-up rods the corresponding distributing- .rail will enter the distributing-eye.

The matrices employed in the machine are of as many diiterent lengths as there are assembling and distributing systems-in the present case eight. Four lengths have their assembling-hooks on the right side (see Fig. 17) and four have them on the left side. (See Fig 18.) All of the matrices of each system are of the same length, but they differ in the shape of the distributing-eyes. There are as many different kinds of distributing-eyes as there are magazine-rods in each system-in the present case ten. (See Fig. 19.) The distributing-eyes are of difierent shapes, so that each matrix will strike the proper shoulders c and will fall from the distributing-rail at the prescribed notched part thereof, so as to be caught on its own magazine-rod.

The upper part c of the eye is equal in width to the width of the distributing-rail. The openings 6* through the tops of the matrices are of ditterent widths, corresponding to the widths of the notched part of said distributing-rail adjacent to the several magazine-rods. Below the part 01. the eye which receives the distributing-rail is a part c, which embraces the stop-rail on the under side of the distributing-rail, and the sides of this partof the eye form shoulders c e, which are different distances apart, corresponding to the diii'erent widths of the shoul ders c of the stop-rail. The lower part of the eye is narrow-a mere notch 6 which receives the fin c on the under side of the distributing-rail.

The upper edge of the part c and the lower edge of the part c of the eye are beveled, as shown in Fig. 20, so that the matrix may hang vertically from the inclined distributingrail.

The spacers, which are shown in Figs. 21, 22, 23, and 24, are substantially like those shown in the former application-that is to say, they each consist of two thin plates o e, secured together at points above and below the wedges. A transversely -movable wedge eis held between said plates, said wedge being so placed that it lies in the plane of composition when a spacer is assembled as a part of a matrix-line. In shape and in the form and arrangement thereon of the distributingeye and assembling-hooks the spacers are like the matrices, and are assembled and distributed in the same way. The spacer is shown in order to better explain certain features in the construction of the stick in which a line of matrices and spacers is assembled and removed from the machine.

The machine shown does not form the slug or linotype, but means are provided whereby an assembled line of matrices may be taken from the machine to a suitable casting-machine, and then returned to the machine, the line being held together in a suitable clamp or stick.

The stick G is shown in Figs. 31 to 40, inclusive. It consists of two parts 9 g, adapted to grasp the matrices between them, and so connected that they may be spread apart at either end as if hinged-at the other end.

The part g has two vertical shoulders g g the distance between which is equal to the standard length of line. An ear g on the part g passes loosely through. a slot g in the part g, and a leaf-spring 9 which is fastened near its middle to said ear, bears against the part g. This spring prevents the complete separation of the two parts, although it permits of their being separated enough to allow the matrices to pass betweeuthem, and it draws them and holds them together when they are not separated by some superior force. On the part g is a ledge or shelf g, on which the lower ends of the matrices rest.

On the part 9 near the bottom and at both ends are the hemispherical bosses g; and on the part g are corresponding sockets g", into which said bosses set. These balls and sockets act as hinges whereby the two parts of the stick may be opened or spread apart at either end.

In the part 9 is a horizontal slot 9 which uncovers the impression-line on the assem bled matrices, so that said matrices may be used to close the face of a mold. 1n the other part g is a similar slot g", through which the wedges in the spacers may be operated, and the end pieces of the stick are notched, as at 9 in line with said slot g, so that the spacers may enter the stick.

On the part 9 is an alinement-rib g, which enters the alinement-depression e in the matrices; and in each end of the part g is the spherical socket g \Vhen in position to receive the matrices as they are assembled, the stick rests upon a slide D, which is movedlongitudinallyin suitable ways formed on the inclined front part a of the bed. On the top of this slide and at both ends thereof are the two blocks (Z cl, the distance between said blocks being equal to the length of the stick. Projecting from the blocks (1 and d" are the spherical heads of the two spring-actuated pins (Z (1 Figs. 11 and 12, respectively, which spherical heads are adapted to enter the sockets Fig. 32, in the stick, thereby holding the stick in the proper position on the slide. An ear (1, Fig. 6, on 

